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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Jon Katz's Post From Bedlam Farm...."a schism between people who live on a farm and people who don't."

I do follow the Bedlam Farm post every day. I have to admit that my favorite parts are his great photography shots of the animals on his farm and the semi every morning video of his donkey, Simon braying a welcome in the morning.
My next door neighbors use to have a donkey that would do that. If he did not have his morning hay by a certain time, the neighborhood would know about it! He has moved onto another pasture now. His Mule partner kept breaking out looking for greener pastures and endangering himself and motorists on the road, so no more braying in the morning. Just the sheep baaing and I do so love hearing that also.
I have had first hand experience with how stubborn a mule can be after trying to help move her to safer ground when she got out one of those times. Only way to lure her was a bucket of feed, and I just don't have that handy in emergencies.

Jon Katz is an author I have mentioned on the sidebar of this blog. Really enjoy his books...now he has a book he is promoting about when pets pass on. I think he is pretty brave to be doing a book tour speaking with people about such a powerful subject. Strong, strong emotions.

Here is one of Jon's videos of Simon and a bit of promo for his book. Good hook!

But I am actually leading all this into a topic I have been writing about also..the somewhat strained relationship between farmers and city folk. I quote him here and I hope he does not mind. The actual post is linked below.

Here is the quote from his post:
"There is a schism between people who live on a farm and people who don’t. People who live on a farm are forced to see the real lives of animals. People removed from them often cannot. I am a writer, not a farmer, but I have lived with goats, sheep, cows, donkeys, dogs and cats. These animals do not live in a no-kill world. They eat poisonous things, trip and fall, get cuts and infections, are stalked by predators, mysterious diseases and heart attacks. They come and they go.
There is much irony in the “no-kill” ideal, a very new idea in the world. On the book tour, I meet many people who happily watch newscasts where countless humans argue, hate and and are blown up or slaughtered, but cannot read a book if an chicken or mouse dies in it. This irony is very American – we are tough on people, but are coming to worship animals."

I totally agree. We do worship animals.
...Mainly domestic pets such as dogs, cats, and that idea of anthropomorphism, giving animals human traits and emotions, and treating them better than humans is rampant. Is that really a bad thing? Depends on the animal.
It is something that definitely has to stay off the farm, unless we all want to turn Vegan in the very near future.

It is a hard thing not to anthropomorphize when you grow up on the farm. You really have to stay ahead of it. I still struggle with it, and as I have said in the past, I could not be a farmer. Much of my hard shell has definitely eroded. I have one foot in two different worlds now...and I like that I can choose.

So I like listening to the sheep baaing in the field over, and I love watching the deer munch on the grass nearby. So nice to be able to enjoy that.

But reality rears its head when my " fearsome" Fitz comes thru that kitty door after an intense and solitary hunt and proceeds to unintentionally(?) torture and then eat that cute little field mouse.
That is reality. That is animal instinct. That is the real animal world out there.
No-kill does not exist.

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Once a Farm Girl, Always a Farm Girl

Farm Girl Studios is here for all those who either live, have lived on a farm or ranch, or dream of a country life.

For all those who love nature and the outdoors, who love dogs, cats, cows, chickens, goats, rabbits, sheep, horses...and who enjoy fun and sweet stories of life in the country.

Who love vintage everything, decorating and photography(my joy!).

And who is a farm girl at heart.

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About Me

I originally grew up and worked hard, long hours on a large dairy and sheep farm in the Midwest. Although I now live in Northern California, the farm and the love of the country and the animals, will always will be in my blood. I will always be a Farm Girl.